Thanksgiving

Our Thanksgiving this year was just spent together as a family.  Mark went in the morning and played some football and then we all helped cook our Thanksgiving feast.  We ate our scrumptious Thanksgiving feast but most importantly we were able to reflect and share with one another some of what we are most thankful for.  

I absolutely love this little family of mine.  I count my blessings every day that we were all brought together.  Mark is the best thing that every happened to me.  He supports me in every way and never fails to tell and show me how much he loves me.  He is my best friend in every way.  I would be lost without him.  I will love him forever. 

Jacob and Sarah have given me what I always wanted - to be a mother.  They are the sweetest little ones.  They make my every day special.  I love watching them grow and learn.  I love being a mother.  I am so grateful that I get to be home with my children and spend every day with them.  It is truly a dream come true.  

And I am grateful for a kind and loving Father in Heaven who has given me all that I hold dear.  He has given me a family and a promise that if we live worthy - we may spend forever with one another.  He has given His Son, Jesus Christ, who showed the way and has provided us a way to return to our Heavenly Father.  I would not be who I am without this knowledge.  It has lifted and sustained me throughout my life.  I am grateful that I feel God's love.

This year has been filled with blessings.  I am thankful for this time of year that allows me to reflect more on them.  

Hearing Update

On Wednesday, we had another appointment to check Sarah's hearing.  This was a big one.  There needed to be improvement or else there was going to have to be some intervention because of concern about her having problems with her language development.

We have good news!  After performing the many different tests that they do, Sarah passed in her right ear!  This is so wonderful for many reasons!  First of all, she can hear completely in her right ear!  Also, because she passed in her right ear, no immediate action needs to be taken to prevent any language delays.  PLUS, her passing in her right ear is very encouraging that the left ear will follow.  

Because of how she is responding to sound, it is still most likely to be fluid that is still in her ears preventing her from fully hearing.  

I told our audiologist (whom I've gotten really close to) that our family will be moving to Utah next month.  So we will be having another appointment right before we move and crossing our fingers that she passes completely and it is not something that we have to continue in Utah.  

If Sarah doesn't pass, when she turns four months we will begin considering putting tubes in her ears to help drain the fluid.  I know that this is a really common surgery but it is still something we really would rather not have to do.

We are feeling so much better about this situation though.  It has been an emotional ride but I feel like we are finally settling down.  We feel so blessed for our wonderful family, friends and doctors and how supportive and helpful they have been throughout this process.  We love you all!

We are thankful for our sweet little girl - for being such a trooper throughout all of these long and tedious visits.  And we are grateful that we know she can hear our voices.

Townhome Found!

So this last month has been...well, stressful to be completely honest.  We have had so many decisions to be made and things to do and it has just been very overwhelming.  We are slowly getting things decided and done and we are very happy that we have found a place to live in Utah!

We are moving into a townhome in Draper!  We are so excited and happy that we were able to find a place that will work for our family + feels like an upgrade!  It is a three-bedroom, two and a half bath townhome with a garage!  I am so excited to get out of the "apartment" living and even though we will still be attached to other people just the fact that we will have an upstairs and a downstairs is really exciting to me.  I can let Jacob jump to his little heart's content and we will have plenty of space for everyone!

We are so excited for this next chapter of our lives.  We can't wait to be closer to family and see what adventures await us in Utah!

Draper - here we come!

Family Pictures

I am loving our new family pictures!  My friend, Natalee, did such a fantastic job.  We were all a bunch of popsicles by the end but I guess that's what you get when you wait until November and do it on a day when it is only in the twenties.  Burrr...

Jacob fell in the snow before we even got started so he was especially cold, poor little muffin!  It could have been because apparently I put his shoes on the wrong feet...yep.  Mom for the win - oh geez!  

Enjoy!

 

First Shots

This brave little girl got her first shots yesterday.  

It was yet another 3+ hour visit to the doctor with both little kiddos.  I think I counted that this is the fourth 3+ hour visit in the last month - can anyone say cruel and unusual punishment?!  I must say though, I am getting pretty good at it.  PLUS, I have two amazing kiddos that do so well I can't complain too much.  We came home, snuggled, and each took a well-deserved nap.

It was Sarah's two-month check-up and she is doing just fabulous!  She is growing like crazy and as exciting as it is it makes me it is a little sad too.  I love this sweet girl.

2 Months

Our sweet girl is two months old today!  

Sarah is just growing and growing.  The other day I looked at her lying on the floor and it hit me that she is already getting so big!  She is no longer a little newborn!  I feel like she is so tall and am excited to get her official measurements at her doctor's appointment on Friday.  

The last official measurements we got were when she was five weeks and she was 20.5 inches tall (44%), 9 lbs 15 oz (84%), and 37.6 cm (78%) head circumference.  

But we did "unofficial" measurements today and she is 22.8 inches tall (70%), 11 lbs 7 oz (70%), and 39.5 cm (73%) head circumference.

Sarah is only waking up once during the night which is wonderful.  She still struggles lots during the day sleeping but luckily for some strange reason she seems to do just fine at night - so we'll take it!  Keep it up Miss Sarah!

This sweet girl is also smiling now!  I love it.  It's still pretty rare to get a big toothless grin but when we get it - we love it!!! 

Sarah is also holding her head up so well.  I am so impressed.  She is so strong.  She loves holding her head up during tummy time and sitting up while leaning against your body. 

Having two little kiddos is so fun in so many ways.  It has created so many sweet moments that I just adore.  Jacob and Sarah love each other so much!  I just know it!  I hope that they can be close their entire lives.  But it warms my heart when Jacob gives Sarah a love at night and says "love you Saree."  But one of the cutest things is when Jacob holds Sarah.  He just grins from ear to ear and pats her arm and tummy and Sarah grins right along with him.  It is precious.  Just precious. 

Sarah's favorite activity is, by far, snuggling.  She still just wants to snuggle all day every day.  I came across this quote just today and it really struck me.  

"Children are not a distraction from more important work.  They are the most important work."

C. S. Lewis

I completely believe this.  I love snuggling this little girl.  And even though not much else gets done day in and day out, I know these moments are precious.  

Snuggling with Grandpa Clegg

We love you, Sarah.  Happy two months little one. 

 

New Plan

Oh my goodness - we Berning's are floating around in a sea of decisions right now!  It has been crazy and overwhelming.  We recently have made some decisions which have meant an entirely different plan then we previously had.  

This last year of pharmacy school is just comprised of six-week rotations that Mark does to gain experience in different pharmacy atmospheres and jobs, compile a portfolio of sorts and study for his pharmacy boards that he will take after graduation.  Today Mark began his fifth rotation (can you believe it?!) out of eight that he will do.  

Our "plan" was to move to Grand Junction, Colorado the beginning of January and to have Mark finish his rotations there.  But last Monday we had a very unexpected turn of events.  

Mark received an email from someone at SelectHealth in Utah saying that they were excited for him to begin a rotation with him in a week (which would be starting today!) and asked him to fill out this form...yada yada yada.  He was freaking out!  We had tried to arrange a rotation with SelectHealth a year ago (when all of this was being arranged) but we were told that it wasn't going to work out.  So imagine our surprise!

Mark emailed the man that is in charge of rotations at the school that night asking if there was any way we could make this work because he would love to have the opportunity to work with them.  Now, we had already planned a trip to Grand Junction for that weekend to go apartment hunting and now we weren't sure if we were going to be moving in a matter of days to a completely different place!

We were both on pins and needles for a couple of days.  To make a long story short though, by Wednesday night it was decided that Mark could do the rotation with SelectHealth but only if he did it during the sixth rotation (which is supposed to be a break to focus on their portfolio and studying).  So we quickly needed to decide if it was worth it to miss the break and where we were going to live and for how long.  

We decided that we are going to do the rotation at SelectHealth starting in January and will finish out the school year in the Salt Lake area.  It is crazy and I still can't really believe that we are doing it - but we are excited and feel like it's what we are supposed to do.  Unfortunately, it means that Mark will be away from us living in Grand Junction for a time but we are trying to think "big picture" and not be too bummed about it.  Plus, being away from us will give Mark a lot more time to focus on studying and working on his portfolio without as much family distractions.  And I will be near to family to help me and keep my sanity while I am alone with two little kiddos!

It is definitely an exciting time!  We still have a lot of decisions to make about various things coming up in our little family's life but we are excited to share this decision.  It will be fun to be closer to family and friends that we have been away from while living here in Denver.  It is definitely going to be an adventure - but I think we are up for it.  

Utah...here we come!!!

Sarah's Blessing Day

On November 2, we blessed our sweet little Sarah.  It was a beautiful fall day and Mark did a wonderful job.  We cannot even begin to express how much we love that little girl and how blessed we feel to have her in our family.   

She was blessed in the Highpoint Ward of the Aurora Colorado Stake.  Those who participated in the blessing were: Mark Berning (Father), August Berning (Grandfather), Scott Clegg (Grandfather), Doug Whetton (Bishop), Kevin Gamett (1st Counselor), and Jason Harrison (2nd Counselor).  

We are grateful for the family who were able to come and enjoy this special day with us.  Grandma Berning and Grandma Clegg as well as Aunt Melina and Aunt Megan were also able to be come. 

P.S. Are we in sync or what?!  I promise we did not plan the matching red/black/grey combination! :)

We love you sweet girl. 

Merlin Wayne Loosli

On October 28, 2014 my Uncle Wayne passed away.  He will be greatly missed.  

It has been nice to think on some of the memories I have of my Uncle Wayne and how I remember him.  He was always an outdoors man.  He had a cabin up in Island Park that he loved.  He would spend his time fishing and out amongst nature.  

If there is one thing I will remember about him though is that he was a tease!  Ever since I could remember he had been teasing me.  And most of the time - I must admit - I didn't even know it!  He always had a dry humor that just seemed to be over my head!  

I have a picture that completely shows my Uncle Wayne's teasing of me!  We were visiting them up at their cabin in Island Park and he had a moose on the wall that just terrified me.  We had made some popcorn and I wouldn't sit on the side of the room where the moose was.  So he told me that if I fed some popcorn to the moose that he wouldn't hurt me.  So I picked up the popcorn bowl and "fed" some to the moose.  What a tease!

I love my Uncle Wayne and he will be missed within the family.  My thoughts and prayers are with my Aunt Lucy and her family at this time.  I am so grateful for my testimony of eternal families and look forward to an eternity of teasing from my Uncle Wayne.